Monday, March 31, 2008

Thursday, March 27, 2008

I am looking for 2 artists on the net:1- I don''t know her name but her nick is Txin-Txin - she is a very talented and nice young girl expertising in jewelry and accessories from resin mainly2 -Veronique Erramuzpe - an amazing cardboard furniture artist

I took this picture during an extraordinary artfairy in Bayonne (France), about 2 years ago, on the 12.7.2006.When I saw the sight you can look at in the pictures below, I decided I MUST learn how to do cardboard furniture. I met Veronique in her small shop and I asked her if she was giving workshops. She told me she was planning to. I asked if she had a site and the answer was negative. Since I had to leave Bayonne at that time and I have few days in Paris, I managed to find the last copy of a french book on cardboard furniture:"Meubles et objets en carton byMichèle Papin"This is how in August 2006, when Omer was in Lebanon, I started to learn how to make for him a "chevet"http://judith27k.blogspot.com/2007/03/vine-chevet-for-omer.html

Now, it's been a year I didn't touch the cardboard.Since that meeting with Veronique, every now and then I am checking the net to see if maybe she has changed her mind and opened a site or blog. Each time - I am disappointed to discover that she hasn't. She is doing such beautiful things that are giving such positive feelings and inspiration - that I wish I could see her creations more often on the net...

LoloMosquito

I discovered this blog today while looking for Txin-txin and Veronique Erramuzpe. She is from the same region in France.Lolomosquito is doing magnificent candy jewelry - I would buy them all!!! :=)I admire her compositions and coloursI recommend you to visit her site and/or blog:http://www.lolomosquito.com/

The reason I was surprised is because I also tried to make one of Petersen's daffodils in January 2008. It was funny to see how each of us (Svetlana, my friend Varda and myself) created something else while being inspired by Petersen's daffodils.

Since my daffodil remained orphelin, I am waiting to create for him a new family, so that I can show it to you.

Anyway, I think Svetlana should publish a book. She is giving such rich and interesting information about all kind of beadwork issues. It's a pleasure to be in her site. I wish I could help her making this book :=))

and magnificent magenta and yellow-gold flowers which I don't know the name :(

Beads beads beads and more beads....

I went on Sunday to buy some beads in Jerusalem. Though the shop was supposed to be closed because of Pourim - I was kindly authorized to get inside. I bought many drops and some Rocailles (size 15). However, I didn't find the orange colours I was looking for, the prices were very elevated and I was urged to finish my purchase because they had to do some renovation in the store. So it's better to do shopping online, but there is nothing like seeing in reality the beads colours, shapes and size...

Micromacrame

I encountered for the first time the Micromacrame (without knowing this name) in a bead store in Tel-Aviv, in which I saw an AMAZING black necklace made mostly with knots. I was in love from first sight... I remember it had a donuts in the middle and it had some chineese knotted balls. They told me there they have a "knotting workshop" but I couldn't afford that at that time. A dream was born in my mind in that moment and this is to learn how to do such beauties. This is still a dream, however today, I am much closer to realize that dream and now I can even call it more simply an "ambition". I have the book and I have also got the cords :=))) Youraii!

I started by buying few months ago the book of Joan Babcock "Micromacrame Jewelry". This is a great book and Joan is explaining there very clearly things that I believe are hard to explain and describe on a paper sheet.

It's been months I am planning to buy cords for trying the art of micromacrame. Every once and there I am checking the stores in which I happen to go, to see if they have those cords. Unfortunately, most of our stores in Israel don't even know about the art of Micromacrame. We are a small country with many things but not everything (as I can imagine someone will find in the USA, specially for crafts supply)...

No worry of course, you will find almost everything you look for in the net. Internet is such a blessed and genius thing.

So I looked for the micromacrame cords with the help of the book introduction about the threads to use and I found several sites selling them, with all kinds of trademarks.

Finally, I decided to buy C-lon cords from Marion Hunziker-Larsen's site and I was very satisfied with that purchase:

The prices are good, the site is very easy to use, it is clear and nicely-made and the cords colours were wonderful and almost the same as in the site's pictures. Finally, I got the package at home within one week only! This time, I was absolutely satisfied with my transaction. It was a joy to open all that small boxes, each one with a number and see all these threads arranged by colour! I felt like a happy child getting a present she really wished to. I looked like a big Smiley.Let me show off with my new toys (the picture is a bit distorted, but you can still have a glance):

Naki's netted flower spiral virtual workshop

Yesterday was full with tidying and arrangements, I also gave my first virtual workshop on Naki's netted flower spiral! Amazing, all this technology possibilities... You can do almost everything from home! The girls liked it and I am glad they found it clear. Even Birgit (Fofinha) did a great job:

Saturday, March 15, 2008

We had an extraordinary and fun evenning with friends, celebrating Frida's birthday! (N.B. it's not the same Frida as in an older post http://judith27k.blogspot.com/2008/01/6108-study-in-design.html).Actually, Frida's birthday was on the 7.3.08 but she kindly asked me when it fits us to come for the party she was organizing and fixed it upon that.

First, to sum up this week, I had a very "low beading week". I was stuck with a project very deeply. It was quiet frustrating. I couldn't move on to any new project!

Second, my sister wasn't so enthousiastic with the braided bracelet I made for her, though she didn't complain.

Each day moving on, I thought that the next day would be better, but that wasn't the case.

Yesterday, I still couldn't bead much, but my whole day was filled with a surprising and interesting correspondance with a german beading artist, trying to overcome a problem I am afronting with the "stuck project".

Today, as the last days, I started my day with no much inspiration, though I knew I wanted to make a small present for Frida.

I thought to make her a ring with an insect because we both adore insects!

While preparing the bug, I understood it would be too big for a ring, so I thought to transform it to a pendant. I started an herringbone stripe but it didn't suit well. I then found myself inventing a simple necklace. It was coming up nice! I became entouthiastic and had an idea for the design! Adrenalin was high and I hadn't enough time. I ended up with a cute spiral I invented and a compromised design I finished at Frida's house :)

It was a real maraton!

Then the fun began. I was satisfied with the new necklace for Frida, I was satisfied that I designed a new spiral, I was satisfied to finally bead and also meet my friends that I didn't see for a while. We played like kids in all kinds of funny games such as "contact" and "sharaide" (which sounded chineese to me beforehand). Finally, Frida and her partner made us great food (such as smoked salmon enrolled with cream cheese and spices) and took us to watch some moon cratters! We even saw areas within cratters in which we could see the shading of the mountains. What a surprising day.... :)

I wanted to make this project as a present for my sister Dvorah, for her birthday that was in January. I told it to her and I asked her what colours she would like me to do it. She answered she would like "navy blue and brown". She wasn't sure if the colours match together and I didn't think too much... Huaaa..... I think it looks a disaster! :(

Yabaaa.....

I already have plan B, C and D in case she doesn't like it (B - transform it to a necklace with a spiral, as my friend Orly El-Al did ;), C - connect only the bronze loops to a new bracelet, D - transform it to a slave bracelet). E - make something else....